Feb 9, 2012

Bators and Broodies: Confessions of a Hatch-a-holic

by
Kathy Shea Mormino

I never intended to hatch my own chicks but chicken math has no regard for my plans. My hatching addiction started innocently enough with a request for a Brinsea incubatorfor my birthday a few years ago. After witnessing the miracle of my first chick hatching, I had The Fever, for which there is no cure. The idea that an egg can transform from potential breakfast food into fluffy cuteness in 21 days completely captivates me. The Fever has taken over my kitchen counter, garage and basement and demanded the construction of a second coop. If you build it, more will hatch.

The most dangerous thing you can give a hatch-a-holic (besides an incubator) is a rooster as he will ensure a steady supply of fertile, hatching eggs to fuel The Fever indefinitely. Max is my Black Copper Marans (BCM) fella and regretfully, he must be re-homed soon. Armed with the knowledge that Max is leaving and taking his genes with him, I have been hoarding the fertile, BCM and Ameraucana eggs for weeks.

My bators only accommodate seven eggs each and I have been filling them religiously every 21 days for a few months in anticipation of Max's departure. I have more eggs than I can fit in my bators and, as luck would have it, I have four hens that are broody! < evil laugh> A broody hen is one who is inspired (by lighting conditions and hormones) to sit on eggs and hatch chicks.

SuperBroody, April (a Buff Orpington)

Since broodies occupy all four of my nest boxes, the other hens are forced to lay eggs in the corner of the coop or double-up in a nesting box to lay eggs. If for some reason I was not going to allow my hens to hatch eggs (for instance, if I had no fertile eggs for them) then I would have to 'break' them of their maternal aspirations. The reasons to break up a broody hen and how to do so can be found here.

Broodies are fiercely protective of their eggs, growling at and pecking at any perceived threat. This makes egg-collecting a challenge. At the risk of invoking their motherly wrath, I check underneath them for eggs several times each day. During this morning's rounds, I was pleasantly surprised to hear cheeping coming from the nest boxes. Rachel, who had been broody for fewer than ten days, was obviously as surprised as I was to learn the sounds were coming from underneath her.

The nest looks like a pillow fight broke out and the reason for that is broodies pluck feathers off themselves to allow the warmth of their skin to make direct contact with the eggs.

I don't mind being a hatch-a-holic and look forward to having The Fever indefinitely. It is a privilege to have a front-row seat to witness the miracle of life.

140 comments
:

Blessings! This is truly funny! Not in a weird way, or even much of a haha way just...let me think...um...how about a "kindred" way? :D

I was JUST talking to my sister about this very thing! I LOVE hatching! I have a bator that I bought from a farmer a few years ago. It will hold 100 eggs. We decided to be frugal and try 60...well all but 5 of them hatched! I was hooked! I LOVE hatching! (did I just say that?) :P

i hav 5/6 coolers i made last year . one cabinet built , and another two waitng to be started.IM IN TROUBLE NOW .now many eggs can you get in a 6ft cabinethttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Homemade-incubators/273809722683265

Right now I don't have chickens. Busy with our goats. I do what to start raising chickens this year. I use to have a flock of 100. I made my first bator. out of a Styrofoam cooler. Put a cake pan in the bottom to hold water then 1/4" wire screen on top of that. I used the bottom of an egg carton to hold the eggs. Heat was provided by two night light bulbs. Controlled the temp. by opening and closing the lid. Out of the first batch 10 out of the 12 hatched. That's when I was hooked.

I LOVE having eggs in the little incubator here at our house! Hatchaholic, indeed! Chicks carrying your lovely rooster's genes would be a welcome addition to our flock. I hope you choose me. I recruited someone to your facebook page, though I don't know if he'll respond. His name is David Harris. Did I follow all the rules?

The two of you are not alone. I have been getting eggs since November from ducks and chickens. I love to hatching. I made our two incubators we got out of coolers. Saved us a lot of money for now until we can afford to get one that will hold at least 100. My husband likes me doing it but at the same time gets upset because we have so many. I sell and eat them but we still a lot.

There's always room for more, Nicky!BTW: Brinsea.com is having a SALE right now and with the coupon code "Valentine" they will take an EXTRA 10% off everything!! Might be time to pull the trigger on that new bator!

I so enjoyed this post. Hey I have Max's identical twin. Copper Marans are so beautiful and their eggs are too. I know I would get the fever too, so I will not get an incubator. I did have a hen go broody last spring, so she may this year too. But my dear husband has said no more chicken houses. I have 2 small ones.

Thank you, Charlotte! I ♥ my BCMs. Max is going to be re-homed this week (going back to the breeder he came to me from as an egglet!) and I'm sad to lose him but happy that he'll be the Cock of the Walk in Ohio.

Who knew that "Broodiness" was a contagious disease among a flock. When one of my Silkie went broody, I was ecstatic but soon every one else wanted to be on it. After having 20+ clutch of chicks hatching it was enough. I had to severely cut down on the number of chickens I had. After everything said and done I still went and bought myself a incubator and a automatice egg turner for my birthday. I guess i didn'tlearn my lesson yet.

Oooo! Im a hatch-a-holic! We got our bator last year and have eggs in it every other.month! Just had 2 hatch Tuesday! A silver wyandotte barnyard mix named Gabbriella and a rir new hampshire mix named Joe! Looking forward to your drawing!

I love my chickens and I'm so hooked everyday I'm asking my husband to sell our house in town to get one in the country where I can have more!!! Tried to hatch once :( not one hatched and I was a on the patrol doing everything right! Humidity, temp, turned carefully 3 times a day. I'm in Washington and I had them shipped from Tennesee, could that of been it? Never saw a start when candling. We have 6 girls, not supposed to have 1 ;) oops LOL. Glad to find a site with the same kind of people ::))

Debbie: shipped eggs do present difficulties that local eggs do not. One can never be sure how roughly the package was handled by the post office, what temperatures it was subjected to or how old the eggs are when they get to you. Plus, there's no way of knowing how good the breeder's fertility is, so they could've all been infertile and regardless of whether you did everything right, they were never going to hatch. It could've been anything. Keep trying though but next time consider setting eggs that are a little closer to home.

WOOT! You GO, girls! Please be sure you both have 'liked' my Facebook page: Egg Carton Labels by ADozenGirlz in order to qualify (they don't always show up immediately, so I'm not seeing Shannon yet but if she has already, it'll turn up). Thanks and good luck!

some one gave me chickens is how i got started . my goal was to give 100 doz to the food bank . i give all my eggs away freely . last yr i bread out all the dark eggs i had ,if you would send me any wud b apprectated , chk out my pg :http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chickens-of-fort-wayne-indiana/186858291388516http://www.facebook.com/pages/Homemade-incubators/273809722683265

I can vouch for the fact he is a hatch a holic.I'm his hatching partner.My last cell phone was full of hatching pics. He doesn't sleep more then 3 hours. He constantly out there checking on the incubators.

I just got my very first incubator, a havo-bator. I can't wait to get started hatching out my own eggs. Yes, chicken math definately gets ya! I started out with 6 and now have 42 :) What a joy they are and have become a great hobby for me along with my 2 very pregnant Nubian goats. I shared your page on my wall and hope to have some recruits very soon!

Like you I am too a hatch-a-holic. We are hatching 12 silkie eggs this year in a 5/6 classroom to add on to our flock of 20+ hens and rooster. Also 12 Salmon Faverolle eggs in our home incubator. Later this spring we are getting 24 more eggs...a mix of silkies and Birchen Cochins. And Still crossing my fingers to get those Black Copper Marans eggs! I have recruited Crystal Marie, Katy Vanegas, Jeff Bonebrake, Jody Vanegas (all people that have been liking your page for quite awhile) And Bill Vanegas one that I just got to like your page today.

I am a true hatch-a-holic too!! I have been hatching almost non-stop for a solid year. I have taken a break or two for a few weeks at a time but it doesn't last long before I am buying again. *sigh* My new recruit will be Kim Delgaudio. She will like the page tomorrow :)

I am a hatcha holic and my new recruit is me. My old standby incubator is a styrofoam still air incubator with an auto matic turner. I think it's a hatcho matic or something. A year ago I placed nine eggs in it and hatched out several mixed breed chicks, many of which I show on your Facebook page in your photo contests. I live in a town where I am allowed to keep roosters. So, I would love to have some of these beautiful birds for my own backyard flock.

Hi I'm a new fan on your FB page. I too am hatch-a-holic, but I let my girls hatch for me :) I have LOTS of hens and roosters! We are very lucky, we are surrounded by pasture so they don't bother any of the neighbors. would soo love to add some BCM's to my flock! please add me to the giveaway! I found you on The Chicken Wisperer FB page

Hi Carmel! Thanks for joining us on my FB page and for this giveaway! The Black Copper Marans really are gorgeous. I have five who are mature and several more in the brooder and grow-out coop! I wish I could keep Max but...no roosters for me. :(

I'd love to add you to the giveaway, all you need to do is recruit one chicken lover to our FB page and you're IN! Good luck and let me know who your partner is!

I just today was begging my husband to get me a small incubator so that I can learn to hatch!!! He was so against me getting chickens at all, but now just six months later, he is really getting into it almost (but not quite as much yet) as I am. He is constantly out there checking on our girls and working in the coop. He is relatively new to facebook and he is my new partner in the chicken math world. You are the first chicken page I've convinced him to follow on facebook so far....soon he will be as bad as the rest of us! Terri Brooks Tribble

Getting my husband on Facebook was almost as big a challenge as getting him into the chicken-keeping thing. lol Tell him I'm honored that he's a fan on my page. ;) Good luck in the giveaway (there will be more!).

I too am a hatchaholic or at least I WILL be once I turn on my new mini advance for the first time! I don't know why I'm stalling, just nervous I guess ;) I love your page and yours was one of a few that inspired me to create one about our farm...Quack-A-Doodle-Moo My recruit to your page is my chicken keeping hubby, Douglas Kowalski...and I'd soooooo LOVE to hatch out some of your beautiful chickens' eggs! <3

This is the reason I do not own an incubator! I have a friend who has one though! :) Muahahahah. Elizabeth Fogle is who I recruited! A neighbor and fellow chicky lover. Those Marans are beautiful chickens! Can't wait to see who gets to hatch them!!!

Hi! I am a hatchaholic and not ashamed to admit it. :) My new recruit will be my husband, Clint Lawrence. He is the coop builder and the biggest chicken enabler I have ever met in my entire life. If my bator is empty, he finds something to put in it! I have been wanting Marans and Olive eggers for quite a while now.. So, please enter me into your giveaway!

I have been hooked on hatching ever since I got my Genesis Hovabator Incubator...Had been hatching about once a month for a while now, but my birds are pretty old now and eggs are few and far between. I can't think of anything more amazing than receiving some wonderful eggs to put in the incubator so I can add some new birds to my older flock... I have a nice piece of property--lots of room to free range safely when the chicks are adults, and safe spacious areas for them to grow, and away from all predators including hawks... I have been raising chickens for over 4 years, and it is time to add some new birds to my group...These eggs will be hatched and will be loved and cared for. Thank you for adding my name to your giveaway. I so enjoy reading your facebook page each day.

Once a month, Sue? Impressive! Thanks for being a loyal fan on my page, it's always nice hearing from you. Please let me know who your recruit is so you can finalize your entry in this giveaway. (there will be more too!).

I'm a hatch-a-holic... even though my very first batch is scheduled to pip in a couple days! I'm already planning on what to hatch next, as well as planning a separate breeding pen for my Lavender Ameraucana rooster, Liberace, and a few of my Ameraucana, Wellsummer, and Cuckoo Maran girls! (As well as a planned mating of my black silkie, Whoopie, and Black Frizzle, Zizzle!)

Hi, I have been a hatch a holic since October when we bought our first incubator an LG. Had several good hatches out of it but knew I needed to upgrade to something better so for Christmas I bought myself a R-com20 and absolutely love it!! It has had eggs in it everyday since I got it, I have 25 in now due on Valentine's Day! And I'm also participating in an Easter hatch. Of course I can't go that long without setting eggs so if I win the BCM eggs they will bemy in between hatch! I brought Folk Art From Florida/crossgirl to your page as a new fan!

I would LOVE to own some of Max's eggs. We have been the proud parents of a flock of "girlz" since last Spring and spoil them terribly. We are looking to increase our flock this year and can't think of a better way then to hatch them ourselves. Rest assured that your babies would be in great hands.... I have brought many friends to your page, but 4 Chicken Keepers, have followed me, Phyllis Donaldson, Audra Gautreau, Jeff Gautreau and today, Judy Price. Also, my chicken keeper friend Cindy Luquette will be "liking" your page today as well. Please enter me into your contest. Thanks so much!Buffy Smith

I am a hatch-a-holic in the making, with our first 4 eggs in the incubator & patiently awaiting my Blue Wheaten Marans to get old enough to start laying eggs to go in there! I definitely need more eggs! ;o) My partner in the MAXimum Addiction Giveaway is my husband, Jeremy Moser, so pleeeease enter us in the contest! lol Thank you! :o)

My name is Paul White and I'm teaming up with Cheryl Posegate my mother-in-law (since my wife got me). My wife (Elizabeth Fogle) is the crazy chicken lady, I just like holding the chicks with our 2 year old. We would love to add some of those beautiful chickens to our flock. The whole family loves watching the chickens in the back yard, and our son pretends to be a chicken every summer. Thanks!

I'm a hatch-a-holic in the making! I only have 4 eggs in the incubator & am patiently waiting for my Blue Wheaten Marans to start laying eggs to put in there! I definitely need more eggs! My partner in the MAXimum Addiction Giveaway is my hubby, Jeremy Moser. Pleeeeease enter us in your contest! lol Thank you!

I'm Cheryl Posegate and I'm recruting my husband James Posegate. He is actually the animal nut and got my daughter started. I will say I love haveing the fresh eggs they taste much better then store bought.

my name is bobby sue and i am a hatchaholic... ive loved chickens since i was a baby when i was little i had a Bantam roo that live in the house and staied in a bird cage, because i cried if they would put him outside.. i have one bcm roo that needs some girls so please pick me pick me

My name is Rebecca and I am a hatchaholic. I have been hatching uncontrollably for longer than I would like to admit.....I have gotten 3 of my 5 kids addicted to eggs. I am currently Maranless in New England. Please help before its too late! My recruit is Joe Chetcuti my husband and coop maker!(rebeccajoseph chetcuti on face book)

My name is Kensey Elder and I am now a hatchaholic - recently started with a borrowed incubator and my girls eggs - they don't go broody - and i wanted to increase my flock size. My ENTIRE family loves the entire process - and since ours is manual - flipping eggs, etc.. its all so fun! I have even begun "soliciting" eggs from friends - LOL friends that have different types and rare breeds - I am getting eggs from them - I HAVE GONE NUTS.. I would love to get in your egg drawing - Karen Chiles, Katie Earhart and Rosewood Farms is liking your page!

I am Kate Lee and I am definitely a Hatch-a-holic - My 3 girls and I love our chickens and are so excited for more. Last Fall we got 2 Polish and love them. We are hoping for a new breed this Spring and would be so excited to win your drawing!!! We were looking for Marans and were on a list, but they emailed that they won't be selling eggs this Spring :( My friend Mary Lee liked your page - and yes I made sure she did :)

Ok being a "newb" here I have a question... you stated that you were "hording Max's eggs" - understandable I would too! - How long can you keep fertilized eggs outside of an incubator or under a broody before they will not hatch?I look forward to your answer! Thanks!(Audrey Siebert)

Hi Audrey. Excellent question. Hatching eggs that are not set immediately should be stored at temps between 45°F and 65°F for no longer than 7 days for maximum hatchability. They should also be turned 3 times a day to ensure the embryo does not stick to the side of the shell.

I believe i may be becoming a hatch-a-holic also. I had two hens go broody about 23 days ago. They were in the coop of course and I figured I would just mark the eggs they were sitting and take any "extras" each day. Well, I'm not sure why or how but now I have two mama's with 3 & 4 chicks each and 12 of those "extra" eggs in my incubator that I am really insure of when they should hatch. So I am turning by hand and not really sure what to expect. I've done the sniff test and everything seems good. The mama's have been moved to the garage in dog kennels and took the move much better than I expected. Definitely going to have some broody tractors built this spring. With that need to also order more chick warmers. Was told today that I was way to excited about baby chickens. hmmmmmm, I don't think so.

How would I know if the eggs in coop is the one that will turn I to chicks?! I'm not sure if rooster is breeding with hens or not. Cuz no chicks are not sitting on it and so far we got 8 eggs and they all are together in neat pile. Just wonder if I need to incubator them or they are hubby's breakfast?! Thanks!

It's quite damp and chilly, here in Oregon, and my Bantam Cochin is broody sitting on a bunch of eggs. It looks like the only one that is fertilized is our silver seabright egg under her ('Bart' the Cornish rooster isn't completing his job, I take it) and we have 3 roosters that are small enough to mate her, 2 sumatran bantam's and 1 frizzled bantam so we're SO EXCITED to see what we get! Im thinking of taking the other eggs out from underneath her because they are not viable, but I worry because when she leaves to eat other chickens go in to lay and I worry she might sit on another bunch of eggs instead because most of hers are gone? I candled it and it seems that one egg is it. How is she going to raise the chick in the winter with the rain and snow? Should I separate her from the flock?

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